Reviews, videos and more on emerging bands & music from around the world to enlighten past the lamestream masses. Published by Russian Winter Records, Kansas City based Indie Record Label, PR Firm & BMI Affiliated Music Publisher.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

﻿Bogan Via are the indie-pop duo of Madeleine Miller and Bret Bender from Tempe, Arizona. They just released their debut self-titled EP and it's a standout. Combining folk, psychedelic and indie stylings, with big vocals, the five tracks grab you right from the first note. The production has a distinct DIY feel, which just adds to the impressive vibe created by the tracks. While recalling the great vocal duos of the past, Bogan Via have their own unique take on indie-pop. This is a must have debut. Stream and buy Bogan Via at the link below.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Plankton Waves is the Luxembourg duo of ﻿Natalie Pickar and Michel Flammant and they have their debut EP Unduriel. The five tracks range from heavy post-punk guitars to flowing synth arpeggios. The music is dark and otherworldly, with psychedilic overtones and fragile, yet edgy vocals. As a whole, the EP is very strong and an indication of much promise for this duo. Stream and buy Unduriel at the link below.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Today is FZB's first birthday. This has been a great first year for the blog. Readership has gone from a handful at the start to over 2100 pageviews per month, from 80 countries. ﻿In the last year FZB has run over 300 reviews, videos and features, had over 21,000 total pageviews and hopefully, turned people on to great music from undiscovered indie bands. FZB's second year will bring you even more music, videos and interviews with the new indie artists to watch for the future.

﻿The Life and Times of Beau Hollingsworth is the debut EP from Irish post-punk band The Excuses. Just being an Irish rock band is trremendous pressure, as no country has a richer rock heritage to live up to. The Excuses take this in stride and deliver five tracks of street laden post-punk goodness. The tracks are edgy, have a minimalist feel, with a compelling vocal stylings and a wonderful bass out front mix. The only nitpicky flaw is using a white X on a black background for the cover. At this point, that is totally associated with the band XX and something original should be on their EP cover, but I digress. Bottom line on The Life and Times is that this is a very good debut and shows much promise for the future from this band. Stream and download The Life and Times of Beau Hollingsworth for free at the link below.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Split EP is the latest release from post-rock bands Wiltz and Facing. Featuring four tracks from Wiltz and three from Facing, the EP serves up an ample helping﻿ of heavy math rock. Complex melodic guitar passages abound and the production is crisp. The Wiltz tracks are instrumental, while Facing delivers strong alt rock vocals. Both sides of this split suffer from the limitations of a genre that is big on musicianship and little on commercial appeal and catchy songs. However, both bands put their best foot forward and show their musicianship at its highest. Stream and buy the Split EP at the links below.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Secret Dreams is the latest album from W﻿isconsin electronic group SLOSLYLOVE. The eight tracks are funky and heavily R&B influenced. Think Philly soul updated to the music of today and performed with synths. This is a dance beat album full of fun tracks and light hearted arrangements. No heavy thinking needed here, just turn it up and enjoy. Stream and download Secret Dreams at the link below.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Song﻿s About Humans is the debut album from New Zealand, by way of Norway, by way of Austria, artist Sam Gray Singing. Besides the unique music to be found on Songs About Humans, there is also an interesting backstory. It seems that all of the music for the album was recorded in 2001when Gray was a student. After languishing for over a decade, the album was found by FZB favorite and Raw Onion Records owner, Jacob Faurholt (Crystal Shipsss). Faurholt signed Gray and had him put vocals to the tracks, yielding the album we have today...Cool. Far from being dated, the album is a prescient look into the future. The eight tracks are a great example of the recent trends of indie/classical/alt rock fusion. However, the album is much broader than this, incorporating elements that range from Radiohead to Oscar Peterson, to Metalion. This is an album to appreciate artistically and that pushes the boundries of musical thought. Stream and buy Songs About Humans at the link below.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

All Things Forgotten is the new album from Hamilton, Ontario's Ophelia Syndrome. ﻿The album mixes influences from freak folk, pop, indie, jazz and country into a beautiful basket of flowering tracks. The arrangements are lush, the vocals are stunning and the production is flawless. This is a band with depth, chops and much to say musically. Stream and buy All Things Forgotten at the link below.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Providence is the debut EP from singer/songwriter Tracee Perrin. The five tracks shine bright with indie folk and pop mix that is propelled by Perrin's vocals. The songs are deep and compelling, while also catchy and commercial. The acoustic dominated instrumentation provides a perfect canvass for Perrin's vocals, that are at once soulful, powerful and intimate.﻿ This is a sterling debut from an artist that undoubtedly has much more to offer. Stream and buy Providence at the link below.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Seawall is the latest from Maine shoegazer Public Transport, aka Duncan Bailey﻿. The album features eight tracks of instrumental dreampop with the usual mix of layered synths, electronic beats and atmospheric melodies. There are distinct influences of German electronic music, giving a bit more depth to the decidedly chillwave bent of the music. While I love the whole of chillwave and dreampop genres, they tend to be extremely limiting in an all instrumental context. For me, chillwave and dreampop work best as vocal centric pop idioms, while purely instrumental works benefit from branching out with more dubstep, house and electronic influences. Stream and download Seawall at the link below.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Burn the Boats is the debut album from Brooklyn shoegazers Farewell Republic. ﻿The 11 tracks serve up a unique blend of heavy post punk with melodic dream pop. The album is edgy, with the use of unique song forms, that showcase the band as forward thinking on where the bounds can be in an alt rock format. This is definately a band to watch for the future. Stream and buy Burn the Boats at the link below.

Friday, March 16, 2012

All Fall Down is the latest album from Brooklyn artist Heidi Harris. Harris offers the listener much, having the depth of PJ Harvey and the power of Florence and the Machine. The music on All Fall Down is folky with echos of Greenwich Village bohemian. The nine tracks are artful, atmospheric and instrumentally diverse. All of which is supporting to the beautiful vocal stylings of Harris. Let this album wash over you like an intimate kiss. Stream and download All Fall Down at the link below.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Recollections Become Phantoms is the latest work from Baltimore artist Soul Glimpse, aka Austyn Sullivan. The 14 tracks take one on a journey through dark, industrial, ambient landscapes. Blending the edge of noise with the most peaceful of synth pads creating a unique sonic mood which is, at the same time, both peaceful and disturbing. The album has great depth with orchestral themes and melodic passages. ﻿Recollections Become Phantoms is a major work that should be part of everyone's ambient library. Stream and download Recollections Become Phantoms at the link below.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Tapping Trees In A Trinket Box Of Treasure is right up there in the longest album title awards bracket﻿. It is also up there in the this is a really good debut album awards bracket. Leakey weaves her dreampop vocals and beautiful songs through a myriad of influences from jazz to classical to retro torch singers. The album is also noteworthy for featuring a bunch of vintage keyboards such as a Mellotron and ARP 2600. There is just so much here to enjoy. This album is a must have debut from an artist that is destined to become a major indie force. Stream and buy Tapping Trees In A Trinket Box Of Treasure at the link below.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

﻿EP3 is the latest release from Ann Arbor electropop artist/producer Christopher Norman. Some artists just scream out radio ready, such as The Postal Service and their clone Owl City, and Chrisopher Norman is one of them. Not to say that he sounds like either of foregoing, to the contrary EP 3 has a broadness and depth that is rare in electropop music. EP 3 serves up 6 tracks of commercial, thoroughly professional dream pop with abundant hooks, beautiful vocals and lush instrumentation. Crisp production and a great compositional sense cap this EP off. Stream and buy EP 3 at the link below.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Autopsia is the new album from SoCal experimental rockers Deadhead Roses. Right from the start, the songs are compelling and the musicianshi﻿p suberb. This is a dark and serious album that will afirm the band as a strong player in post-rock. Blending influences from indie, folk, electronic and metal, Autopsia delivers a fresh and unique vision of the future of rock music seen by Deadhead Roses. This album is a must have, from a band poised at the edge of greatness. Stream and buy Autopsia at the link below.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Strike Hard, Young Diamond is the debut album from Toronto atl rockers Wildlife. ﻿The twelve tracks are dynamic and show influences that range from post-punk, to freak folk. One can also hear dim shadows of Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse. This is an album that drives forward with expert production and songs that are both catchy and compelling. Heavy guitar, novel synth lines and stirring vocals wrap the whole package. Stream and buy Strike hard, Yound Diamonds at the link below.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

﻿High & Shy is the new two track EP from Brooklyn dreampop artist Bordeaux. The two tracks feature a minimalist easthetic, with light and airy synth pads and finely textured beats. These two tracks are musical paintings that flow and layer to convey a meaning and prescence that trancends the now. This is most evident in the atmospheric vocals that are the dominant feature on the track All Our Love. Stream and download High & Shy for free at the link below.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

III is the new EP from London shoegazers Inca Gold. The four tracks are psychedelic explorations that showcase abundent influences. One can hear shadows of Jesus and Mary Chain, Atlas S﻿ound and Gang Gang Dance all woven into a tapestry of wonderful towering indie pop. Lush synths, fluid guitar lines and a solid rhythm section all frame vocals that draw the listener deep into the tracks. Stream and download III for free at the link below.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

﻿Drifting Youth is the new album from FZB favorite Stumbleine. Once again this Bristol, UK artist hits the mark with his brand of chillwave goodness. The seven tracks are atmospheric and lush, envoking dreams of other worldly moons. As always the production is pristine, the musicianship excellent and the vibe compelling. Stumbleine gets it with every release. Stream and buy Drifting Youth at the link below.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Lost Ones i﻿s the latest album from San Jose's Seabright, aka Justin Morales. Seabright makes dreampop with a dash of noise rock and a touch of lo-fi. The 12 tracks are full of layered guitars, minimal beats and tasteful synth pads. Lost ones is an album that cycles from complex to simple. At times funky and at other times heavy. Seabright weaves a unique blend together in an ambitious work that showcases his talent. Stream and download Lost Ones for free at the link below.

Friday, March 2, 2012

﻿The Toys EP is the debut from Nashville shoegazer Bedroom, aka Noah Kittenger. In a music scene where DIY albums are commonplace, the Toys EP stands out. Bedroom creates a sonic landscape with a lo-fi easthetic while maintaining crisp production. The five dreampop tracks are catchy and imaginative, with hooky guitar riffs, minimalist beats and lush synth pads. The tracks are all about the mood set by the music. The vocals are an integral part of this mood, with their dark texture and reverby background feel. This is a fine debut and here's looking for more from Bedroom. Stream and buy the Toys EP at the link below.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

The Teen Angst Tape is the debut EP from Denver garage rockers Sauna. The four tracks are retro feeling with twangy surf style guitar and vocal styling that range from the B-52's, to the Shirelles, to Vivian Girls. The tracks are catchy and hooky, with a blog and indie radio friendly sound. We can't wait to hear more from Sauna. Stream and download The Teen Amgst Tape at the link below.

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For review consideration on FZB, you must email both your Bandcamp and Facebook links to russianwinterrecords(at)gmail(dot)com. We only review albums and EP's that are streaming on Bandcamp. Do not submit before your tracks are live on Bandcamp, we will discard advance submissions. We do not review releases in languages other than English, remixes, or releases over 4 months past their release date.

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